Shipping crate



J. H. GRANDE- SHIPPING CRATE May 2, 1933.

Filed June 4, 19 31 Patented May 2, 1933 PATENT OFFICE j .rosnrn H. eaaimn, oramummn, canrronma sn'rrrmeeim'rr: I

Application filed June 4, 1931. Seriallo. 542,142.

The object of my invention is to enable the.

shipment of fresh vegetables over long routes without injury or deterioration from their presence in temperatures that otherwise would be hurtful and to accomplish this 1mportant object by packing means OfSimP1lC- ity and low cost. My invention is embodied in a refrigerator crate in which the fresh vegetables are placed in superimposed horlzontal layers or tiers.

An important feature of my invention IS the provision of a refrigerant holder or receptacle (such a refrigerant as dry ice) which 7 v will not diminish the vegetable storage .s ace within the crate, nor add to the externa d1- mensions of the crate, my invention in this particular utilizing crate space that is wasted. The standard or conventional crate, made of spaced apart parallel wood slats or strips has at each end a necessarily stout rectangular frame of wood which on the inner side has a crate end wall so that within the frame and on the exterior of the crate is a frame-enclosed space of considerable volume or capacity. I make use of that s ace at each end of the crate b placing therein a box of wood or other suita le material, the box walls or sides being aifixed or secured tothe bars which form the end frame. Thus not only is the otherwise unused space utilized, but the 1 means for utilizing it add to the strength of the crate structure cost.

Another feature of my invention is the use in connection with vegetables, such as lettuce. that are apt to become discolored, of a preserving and bleaching solutions, preparation known as citric acid crystal solution. The butt ends of the heads of lettuce are apt to become discolored in transit and at the ends and at trifling that is prevented by dipping such ends in said 1 solution.

I illustrate in the drawing an embodiment of my invention in a conventional or standardwood crate, because, in such embodiment, all of the features of my invention are very advanta eously utilized, but I do not restrict my to that particular embodiment.

My invention consists in whatever is de- "the partition or separator s its other dimensions, .ordmaryconstructlon, and mcludes two slmi- 7 extending between the such as a a crate is packed,

articles with one .when all are folded over, an thereafterscribed by or is included within the terms or sco e of the appended claims.

nthe drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shipping crate embodying my invention; g I! Fig. 2 isa longitudinal section thereof; F Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3-3 of i 2; 1 Fig. 4 is a top plan view showing the. rocedure in applying the cardboard wall linings 00 that are interposed between the food articles packed in layers within the crate;

Fig. 5 is a plan viewof a ortion of one of eets preferably used.

Describing in drawing, the sh flat sided form detail whatis shown in the ipping box or crate is of six whose lengthis greater than as in the standard or lar rectangular end frames, 10, of bars or strips of wood nailed or otherwise secured together andslatsor strips, 11, ofthin wood end frames and nailed at their ends tothe outer sides of said end frames, on all four sides thereof when the crate or box is packed and .ready for shipment or other handlmg.

. All of the inner sides of the crate body are covered or lined with liquid-proof sheets of i0 cardboard so that the vegetables or other food commodities packed within the crate are com- .pletely enclosed by these sheets. Said sheets, 12, are of such orm and number that by folding on lines parallel with the edges or corners of the .crate they cover the entire inner surfaces of the crateandenclose the contents on all sides What are the top portions of the sheet during the placing and packing ofthe vegetables, orv other food articles therein, are carried over the top edges of the crate walls or sides and are projected outside thereof, and afterwards when the such top flaps are folded back over the topmost la er of vegetablesor food ap lying u 11 another the slats for that side of the crate are nailed to the end frames.

Withinthe lined walls of thecrate, food articles or commodities, such for example, heads of lettuce L, are packed in parallel layers oneabove another and between adjacent layers is placed a separating or partition sheet, 13, of cardboard or heavy paper that extends entirely across the space between the side walls of the crate. The separator sheets are perforated and preferably perforated by 1B1 umerous V-shape slits, 14, as best shown in y the separator sheets each layer of commodities is separated from an adjacent layer and spaces between adjacent layers are assured for the flow or circulation or dissemination of the refrigerant or cooling medium stored or placed within the crate, and by the erforations in the separators, the circulation 1s assured between the layers so that all of the articles within the crate are adequately and efficiently acted upon by the refrigerant orrefrigerating medium, or the refrigerant emanations therefrom, with the result that even after long shipments the crate contents arepreserved in a fresh, wholesome and tractive-looking state.

Preferably the separator sheets are of or contain a material which makes them heat insulators. This prevents the rapid dissipation of the refrigerant and enables them to retaintheir stiff flat form against tegrating effect of moisture absor tion. With the openings 14, in the form 0 slits, there is effected a certain control of moisture tending to pass through the perforations because the slit edges will swell moisture thereon and tend to close up the slits and thus the advantageous effect of moisture on the vegetables will be utilized. The cutting of the fibers in tates absorption of moisture by the slit edges and in a way effects water storage in the partitions in contact with vegetables. The advantages with regard to the action or effect of moisture are particularly pronounced when the refrigerant used is ice because of the quantity or volume of water which is produced by melting of the ice.

As I have already explained, there is a refrigerant-holding compartment or chamber at each end of the crate. Each such compartment or chamb'er comprises an outer solid wall or panel 15 of wood which extends across the space between opposite and frame bars and overlaps the latter at its ends nailed thereto and an inner wall, 16, also of wood which likewise extends between said end frame bars and overlaps them on their inner sides and is nailed thereto. Thus opposite bars of the end frame constitute Qpposite sides of the chamber. The remaining narrow sides of the chamber in the space within the end frame are formed by two bars of wood, 17 that extend between and at their end abut against the inner sides of the end frame bars t which the outer and inner walls the disinfrom the action of' forming the slits faciliand is -the storage space within 15 and 16 are nailed, and, of course, they fill the space between said outer and inner walls 15 and 16. It will be seen that the chamber with walls, formed as described, by reason of the connection of the walls with the end frame bars materially adds tothe strength of the crate at the ends and with but little addition to the weight thereof and at'trifling cost.

The inner chamber w lls 16, are provided with numerous holes or perforations 18, but another walls of the chamber are solid or imperforate, the result being that circulation or flow of the refrigerant or refrigerating medium is wholly to the interior of the crate and at the ends of the separated layers of vegetables, or other food commodities packed in the crate, and on all other sides the chamber is insulated so that the refrigerant therein is safeguarded from the melting effect of the surrounding temperature. Thesechambers are admirably suited for the use of dry ice, I, that is, solid carbon-dioxide. As it melts or passes into the gaseous state, which is in large volume, it flows under the pressure produced from the opposite chambers into and through the packed. lettuce or other erant and protected from discoloration by the bleachingand preservative solution applied "to those parts of the vegtables requiring that treatment, crates of vegetables or like food commodities packed in crates embodying my invention will reach remote destinations from the point of shipment in a fresh, wholesome and attractive-looking condition.

Of course, in some embodiments of my invention other material than wood may used to form the crate body.

What I claim is 1. A refrigerator shipping crate having external walls, partitions extending substantially parallel between such walls and spaced apart by layers of food commodities and an end refrigerant chamber wholly external to the storage space within the wall.

2. A refrigerator shipping crate having external walls, partitions extending substantially parallel between such walls and spaced apart by layers of food commodities and an end refrigerant chamber wholly external to the storage space within the wall, said walls being of heat insulating sheet material within an external crate body.

3. A refrigerator shipping crate having external walls, partitions extending substantially arallel between'such walls and spaced apart y layers of food commodities and an end refrigerant chamber wholly external to the wall, said walls being'of heat insulating sheet material within an' external crate body, said crate body having opposite end frames and said chamher being situated within an end frame.

4. A refrigerator shipping crate having external walls, partitions extending substantially parallel between such walls and spaced apart by layers of food commodities and an end refrigerant chamber wholly external to the storage space within the wall, said walls being of heat insulating sheet material within an ex ternal crate body, said crate bc dy having opposite end frames and said chamber being situated within an end frame, certain of the chamber walls being opposite bars of said end frame.

5. A refrigerator shipping crate body with slat connected end frames and a refrigerant chamber within an end frame with outer and inner walls extending between opposite bars of said end frame and overlapping said bars, said end frame bars constituting opposite walls of said chamber and remaining walls of said chamber consisting of bars lying between said outer and inner walls and extending between the frame bars to which said outer and inner walls are attached.

6, A refrigerator shipping crate having external walls enclosing a storage space and separator partitions spaced apart and extending between said walls with a layer of food commodities between adjacent partitions, such partitions having perforations and means to supply a refrigerating medium to the spaces between such partitions.

7. A vegetable refrigerator shipping crate of a form with six fiat sides having external walls enclosing a vegetable receiving space closed thereby to the outside such face being continuous from top to bottom, side to side and end to end of the crate, means within such space supporting vegetables in layers and refrigerant holding means from which there is circulation through the layers of ve etables of a low temperature medium.

in testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

JOSEPH H. GRANDE. 

